Fee exemption for property purchases: Anyone who has purchased a property after April 1, 2024 may be able to apply for exemption from the land register entry and lien fee from July 1 .
July can be a relief for buyers of residential real estate when it comes to reducing the (ancillary) costs incurred during the purchase. As of July 1, it is possible to apply for exemption from the land register entry fee and lien fee (together 2.3 percent of the purchase price) under certain conditions. However, gifts and inheritances are excluded from the fee exemption. The lien must also be in connection with the acquisition of a property against payment, according to a press release from the Austrian Chamber of Notaries (ÖNK).
Staggered exemption from fees
According to a press release from the Austrian Chamber of Notaries, the exemption applies to EUR 500,000 per acquisition up to a maximum amount of two million euros. No fees are payable up to 500,000 euros; for amounts between 500,000 and two million euros, fees are only payable for the part of the purchase price that exceeds 500,000 euros.
Observe deadlines
The exemption applies to real estate purchases made after the March 31, 2024 and can generally be submitted until June 30, 2026.
Exemption per person
If spouses or registered partners buy the property together, each of them can apply for exemption from the land register entry fee. This is justified in an implementing decree of the Ministry of Justice by the fact that in this case both are half owners of the property.
Main residence is mandatory
The fee exemption can only be claimed if the purchase covers an “urgent housing need”. This means that the buyer(s) must register their main residence there. In this context, they must also prove that they have given up their previous (main) place of residence.
Subsequent elimination of the fee exemption
However, if the exemption has been granted, the following must be observed: If the property is sold again within five years or the main residence is given up, the fee will be imposed retrospectively. “Furthermore, the court must be actively notified of the discontinuation within one month of its occurrence. If the obligation to notify is not complied with and the court determines on its own initiative that the requirements for exemption are not or no longer met, an increase in fees may be imposed in addition to the registration fee,” says the ÖNK.
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